Spied: 2014 Maserati Ghibli

Maserati’s upcoming midsize sedan has been spotted cold-weather testing bundled up beneath a layer of camouflage. The Ghibli has been confirmed as the name of the new premium midsize sedan, which will compete against the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and Jaguar XF as a slightly more volume-oriented four-door compared to the newly enlarged Quattroporte sedan.

Previous Ghibli test mules were disguised as Quattroporte sedans, but these images show a smaller car most noticeable by the shorter rear doors. Up front, it’s too early to tell much about the Ghibli, but we expect the car’s front styling to closely resemble that of the  2013 Quattroporte sedan. Fake camouflage panels over the rear roofline give it a fastback look.

Rumors suggest the Ghibli will utilize a modified version of the current Chrysler 300/Dodge Charger chassis, which is an evolution of the first-generation architecture derived from the 2003-2009 W211 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The Ghibli may be powered by a turbocharged version of the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 mated to a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, or a detuned version of the new Quattroporte’s turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6, making between 350-375 hp. Whatever sits under the hood, an all-wheel-drive variant is all but a given if Maserati is serious about its long-term sales goals.

 While official Ghibli powertrain options are still speculative, don’t expect the volume sedan to offer more power than the 2013 Quattroporte, which features a twin-turbo, direct-injected 3.0-liter V-6 making 404 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque and an optional twin-turbo, direct-injected 523-hp 3.8-liter V-8 with 479 lb-ft of torque (with as much as 524 lb-ft with an overboost feature).

The Ghibli is one part of Maserati’s plan to increase global sales volume from 7500 to 50,000 units. The other is a Jeep Grand Cherokee-based SUV called the Levante, which is expected to be powered by a Ferrari-derived V-8.

Thanks to: Motor Trend